Advanced Certificate Post Master’s Degree Admissions Requirements

Medaille College welcomes applications for our advanced certificate post-master’s graduate programs designed for the professional who is seeking additional educational opportunities leading to licensure. We value the experience and maturity that these students bring with them. Our goal is to offer a hassle-free application and financial aid process, and an easy transition into the Medaille College Community.

Financial Aid

Scholarships

Transfer Credits and Transfer Equivalency

Medaille's transfer policy permits acceptance of credit earned at other regionally accredited colleges and institutions of higher learning. The acceptance of transfer credit for a core course which is over 20 years old will be determined by the department chair in consultation with appropriate department faculty. Students who wish to have credits earned at other institutions applied toward fulfillment of their course of study at Medaille should check with the Admissions Office for an evaluation of these credentials. Only credit is transferable; grades, quality points, and cumulative averages do not transfer.

A maximum of 90 credit hours may be transferred toward a baccalaureate degree from other regionally accredited institutions; however, no more than 72 hours may be transferred from two-year colleges.

A maximum of 45 credit hours toward an associate degree may be accepted in transfer from other regionally accredited institutions.

Only those credits applicable to the degree program entered are accepted.

S and P grades from other institutions are accepted for transfer credit.

Transfer Students Holding an Associate Degree

Medaille College will ordinarily grant full credit (a minimum of 60 credits) for completed coursework to transfer students from two-year Colleges who have successfully earned an A.A. or A.S. degree. As necessary and appropriate, the College will grant credit for transfer courses with C- or D grades and will count the credits for these courses toward the completion of matriculation requirements.

In certain instances, College policy regarding an acceptable passing grade in a required and/or prerequisite course may necessitate that a student repeat a course in order to meet the minimum standard required of all Medaille students.

Transfer Students Without a Degree

In the area of a student's major program of study only grades of C or better are transferable.

Medaille may accept in transfer up to 12 credit hours of D grades as liberal arts electives or free electives provided that the overall transfer average is at least 2.0.

Academic Equivalent Options

Medaille College recognizes that adult students may possess knowledge and experiences distinguishing them from the traditional college student. Therefore, Medaille College offers adult students the opportunity to obtain credit for this knowledge and those experiences, through Academic Alternatives.

The Academic Alternative process deals solely with college-level knowledge obtained outside the accredited college classroom. This includes, for example, formal learning gained through successful completion of coursework sponsored by business, military, and government institutions; it also may include, for example, knowledge obtained through career experiences, business expertise, and volunteer work.

The most essential thing to keep in mind about Academic Alternatives is that credit is not awarded for experience (no matter how sophisticated) but for the student’s ability to demonstrate that these experiences, knowledge, and/or skills are comparable to what is required within Medaille College’s degree programs and courses.

Credits earned through academic alternatives are posted on the transcript as a separate designation during the semester in which the credit is awarded. There is an indication of which alternative was pursued. For new and currently enrolled students, the total number of credits earned through any combination of academic alternatives cannot exceed 60 for the baccalaureate degree or 30 for the associate degree. All students working toward the bachelor’s degree must earn the last 30 credits in coursework at Medaille; for the associate degree, the last 15 credits.

Academic Alternatives for Enrolled Medaille Students

Challenge Exams: Students who think they have the knowledge base for a particular course may be able to take a challenge exam instead of enrolling in the course. Contact the Academic Advisor to see which courses are available for challenge exams. This is the only Academic Alternative given residential credit; Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grades are issued for challenge exams. Fee: $100 for each exam; non-refundable, non-transferable.

Exams must be taken within one year of the date of the official letter from the Office of Academic Affairs. *Graduates please check deadline dates for taking exams. The deadline date may occur before the one year deadline date.

Deadline Dates:

May Graduates: File by Nov. 1; Take by May 1Jan. Graduates: File by May 1; Take by Dec. 15Aug. Graduates: File by Feb. 1; Take by Aug. 1

(Adult and Graduate Program students check with Student Services for deadlines based on cohort sequences and degree conferral dates.)

Prior Learning Assessment: Students have the opportunity to work with the Academic Advisor to prepare a portfolio which demonstrates college-level knowledge/skills that have been acquired through career and life experiences. The portfolio is directed at addressing objectives for a particular course(s) at Medaille College. Students must discuss policies, procedures, and possible courses for PLA with the Academic Alternatives Advisor. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grades are issued for prior learning assessment.

(Adult and Graduate Program students check with Student Services for deadlines based on cohort sequences and degree conferral dates.)

Other Academic Alternatives Available

DSST: Medaille offers DSST exams administered on campus. Students do not need to be enrolled at Medaille College. The DSST offers approximately 37 examinations in subject areas that include physical science, applied technology, math, business, humanities, and social sciences; all are in a multiple choice format (the speech includes an audio recording). Additional information and fact sheets are available through Get College Credit.

Fee: $140 for each exam, non-refundable. In the event that an exam has to be rescheduled, there will be a $10 fee for each rescheduling. For more information, visit the Registrar's webpage.

The following academic alternatives, are options taken at other institutions and are eligible for possible transfer credit at Medaille:

CLEP (College Level Examination Program): Offered through CLEP are a series of general and specific exams, administered on computer, that measure achievement primarily in the first two years of college. There are five general areas for exams: Composition and Literature, Science & Mathematics, Foreign Language, History & Social Sciences, and Business. Most tests are multiple- choice and have a 90 minute time limit. Additional information and locations for exams is available at the College Board website.

Fee: $80 for each exam, effective July 1, 2012.

Excelsior College Examinations: There are approximately 51 Excelsior College Exams in the arts and sciences, business, nursing, and education. Exams are computer delivered and taken at Pearson VUE Testing Centers. Additional information, exam guides, deadlines, and registration procedures are available through Excelsior College.

ACE (American Council on Education) Military Program: There are formal courses offered through the armed services that may be eligible for college transfer credit. A DD214 form should be submitted during the Admissions process; evaluation is conducted by the Medaille Registrar’s Office. Additional information is available through the American Council on Education. (select “Military Programs”).

ACE CCRS (American Council on Education College Credit Recommendation Service) provides access to academic credit for formal courses taken through corporations, volunteer associations, and other non-collegiate organizations. Additional information is available through their Lifelong Learning Resource Center (866-205-6267) or contacting: CREDIT@ace.nche.edu

AP (Advanced Placement) Exams: High school students may take college-level courses through their high schools. A formal examination at the completion of the course is required with scoring processed through the CollegeBoard. Additional information is available at the College Board website.

International Baccalaureate: Medaille College will accept transfer credit for IB exams with scores of 5 or better. High school students can obtain more information about this program from their guidance offices and at this website http://www.ibo.org/

Medaille faculty and administrators encourage prospective transfer students to explore their transfer options and learn about the many benefits of the Medaille experience, inside and outside the traditional classroom.

Students interested in the undergraduate transfer policies and enrollment matters should consult the transfer admissions section of the undergraduate catalog and talk with admissions staff for assistance.

To facilitate the student's transition to Medaille, we maintain transfer articulation agreements with a number of regional postsecondary institutions. Most are major-specific 2+2 joint enrollment agreements that map out in clear, specific terms the curricular pathways for students to follow between their current academic program and their desired major at Medaille. These partnership agreements maximize the transferability of credits and their application toward program-specific and generic institutional graduation requirements at Medaille.

Students admitted into a 2+2 at their starting institution are guaranteed a place in their major of choice at Medaille. They arrive at Medaille as rising juniors with typically 57-63 credits to complete in two years.

At Medaille, we value the varied educational backgrounds, rich life experiences, and human diversity that transfer students bring to our campus community. We look forward to serving the ongoing academic needs of students like you who have started your educational journey at another college or university.

The specifics of these agreements are subject to change. The online documents are the most current. Students enrolled in a 2+2 agreement will be notified of any changes that may affect them.

Computer Requirements and Support

Medaille College recommends that students purchase computers that meet criteria not just for today’s computing needs but those of the next few years.

Our published recommendations are keyed to whatever the current marketplace dictates at any given time. The closer you purchase your computer to your anticipated entry to the College, the more assured you will be of getting equipment that is as up to date as possible. Recommended specifications for computers change frequently during the year; however, to utilize Medaille’s course management systems, machines must meet minimum configurations. Machines that do not meet minimum configurations may not be supported by the campus online IT support, and may be unable to use current software needed for classes.

Software Provided by Medaille College

Microsoft Office / Symantec EndPoint protection.

Current students can go to the IT website to download a copy of Office and Symantec EndPoint you do not need to purchase this software.

General Online Computer Requirements

BBA IS Program Computer Requirements

Students enrolled in the BBA IS Program have more stringent requirements for their computer, as they will also need to run additional software as part of their class requirements.PC Computer - Windows Vista or Windows 7 - at least 4 GB RAM - at least 200GB free disk space - Ethernet/Wireless network card - DSL, Cable, or Satellite high-speed connection

24x7 Technical Support

24x7 technical support is available. If you have any technical issues with the Blackboard 9 (for example attaching a Word document to an assignment), Microsoft Office Applications, your computer, etc, you can get help anytime of the day or night!

The self-help portal is available at: http://onlinesupport.medaille.edu From this support portal you can find help on most common issues, submit a support ticket, or chat with a support representative online. You can login to the support portal using your Medaille email address as your username, and your student ID as your password.

FAQS

Is financial aid available to online students?

Medaille’s online programs are all fully accredited so our students are able to apply for financial aid. Eligibility for aid is based on individual financial circumstances. Students are highly encouraged to apply for aid as soon as they apply for admission as these are two different processes. Students will not be considered for financial aid until they are accepted.

Can I complete this work at my own pace or will there be deadlines?

Each week will begin on Wednesday at midnight, and you will usually have a Saturday deadline for initial board discussions; however typical end of the week deadlines will occur each Tuesday at 11:59PM.

What if I can't complete an assignment in the timeframe allotted?

Your instructor may make exceptions based on circumstance. Documentation may be required to support your need for an exception or extension. Students are encouraged to communicate with their instructor at the first sign of difficulty or issues affecting their academic performance. The College prides itself on helping students be successful.How much interaction will I really have with the instructor and other students?Perhaps a mention of Blackboard IM as a way to stay in touch with peers when they are online at the same time.

I'm sold! How do I apply?

If you are ready to take the next step begin the process by completing the online application (should be linked to the application grid**. We highly recommend that you call our Educational Counselors at (716) 217-4191 for assistance and support through the Admissions and Financial Aid processes. They are enrollment professionals who are dedicated to your success.

Computer requirements suggestion:

Do I have to be available every day for this online course?

Flexibility is a huge advantage to our online learning program. You can access the course at the same time as your professor. You are required to sign in regularly in order to stay up-to-date on class and group discussions, but if you are unavailable at a particular time, you will find the class waiting for you when you get back.

Why are Medaille's online courses shorter in length than regular courses? Do they not cover as much material?

Medaille's online courses each span seven weeks, which is the same length as our accelerated on-ground courses. We are able to design and deliver accelerated curriculum in a manner that optimizes learning. Since most of our online students want to complete their education as quickly as possible, they appreciate both the efficiency of acceleration and the flexibility of the online classroom.

Will I learn as much in an online program as in a regular program?

There is no difference in Medaille's online and regular campus course content. At Medaille, our skilled online instructors possess a high level of experience in their concentrations and all possess the required credentials and proven ability to teach.

Is an online degree really as valuable as a degree from a traditional college or university?

Without question, an online degree has the same value as a more traditional college degree. Our high-quality materials are skillfully administered and thoroughly assessed by qualified faculty. We take no shortcuts. Medaille College is a fully-accredited institution with a long history of educating students. Our online programs meet the same standards for rigor, comprehensiveness and accountability as any other Medaille program. And once you graduate, you join a growing community of Medaille alumni at work, in business, education and industry, and in your community.